Tony Iommi Thrilled With "Black Sabbath: The Dio Years"

Launch Radio Networks reports: BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi is thrilled with the band's latest release, which spotlights the time when Ronnie James Dio was the singer. It's called "Black Sabbath: The Dio Years", and in addition to a selection of material from the past, the album also has three new songs that were written in the last few months for the project. Iommi told Launch that he's happy to showcase Dio's contribution to the SABBATH legacy in this fashion, and the band is also thrilled to have new material to play live. "I think it's great, because this era of the band — certainly since we've been back with Ozzy (Osbourne) — 10 years of not really hearing about this lineup," he said. "And a lot of people have asked about doing an album, and I think it's great now that we can actually go out and play these tracks, and have an album out again of these tracks, with some fresher stuff."

"Black Sabbath: The Dio Years" sold almost 21,000 copies in its first week out, putting it at Number 54 on the Billboard 200 chart.

While they're BLACK SABBATH on the album the group — which also includes Geezer Butler on bass and Vinny Appice on drums — is touring this year as HEAVEN AND HELL. They recently finished up a series of dates that took them across Canada and ended with a DVD shoot at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Their next U.S. run of shows begins April 22 in Phoenix.

Dio IS Sabbath-No question about it. (Even you die-hard Ozzy fans will admit it after a few beers!)Ronnie James Dio has always had the best vocal range and the most masterful songwriting skills. Yes, Ozzy was great, but as we know his voice is thrashed today and Dio's is still as strong as ever!See ya at the Forum in L.A. next Wed. b****!